1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to electronic mailing/shipping systems, and more particularly to a system and method for providing mailing/shipping services to customers remotely located from a mailing/shipping service provider.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recent technological innovation in automated mailing and shipping systems is the integration of a personal computer (PC) with more traditional machines, such as scales, postal meters, mailing machines, and label printers. Use of PCs in these systems has produced a number of advantages over conventional systems. PCs have, for example, allowed mailing/shipping system service providers to increase the number and variety of features that can be offered to customers who mail or ship letters and parcels. Thus, with PCs, a number of mailing/shipping options can be provided to customers and customers can then select the best and/or least expensive mailing/shipping carrier.
Known automated mailing/shipping systems are not without drawbacks, however, and one of the chief drawbacks centers around their inability to be upgraded, if at all, in a convenient and economical way. Generally, these systems come in one of two types: 1) ones that are complete and fully capable systems that provide a full range of features, and 2) ones which come with a basic set of features which can, at a later date, can be upgraded to add features.
The system that is fully loaded (first type) is not economically practical because most customers will not use all the features offered on the system. Consequently, these customers end up paying for a more sophisticated system than they originally wanted, or wanted to pay for. Further, such a system typically cannot be modified to include new or upgraded features.
The system that provides a basic set of features (second option) provides customers with a more cost-effective, tailorable solution. However, upgrading this system has proven to be cumbersome and time-consuming. Upgrading a system of this type, for example, requires a visit from a technician or salesman, who must determine the customer's current configuration, determine which new features might be beneficial to the customer, describe available feature options, and place the order on behalf of the customer. This is frequently inconvenient for the customer and adds significant cost to the overall upgrading process.
From the foregoing, it is clear that a need exists for an improved automated mailing system and method, and more specifically one which can be upgraded or otherwise modified in a manner which is more efficient, more economical, and easier to use than known automated mailing systems and methods.